Hi, hope someone can advise here.. I have a nesting dove (laughing turtle-dove I think) which made a nest on a wall near my front door, under the eaves.
I heard that the female and male will change places during the day, but this isn't happening.. the poor thing sits there all the time and looks less energetic each day. Perhaps her mate has died, can't find the nest again or just buggered off. :)
I've also read that they are supposed to retain faeces while sitting, until they change places and can fly off to poop. But there's poo in the nest, another sign she can't leave. So I fear she can't feed either.
Long story short, what can I do to help? I'd be happy to try and get both her and the nest together into a box and take her to a bird refuge but I don't know if this is advisable or even necessary. Will she just take care of herself or sit there till she literally drops off the perch?
Cheers!
Is there a baby bird there?
Call WIRES, they will come and look at least but if the bird is sick then nature might have to take its course.
Hi Antic,
I'm interested to know the outcome of this !
cheers
deva
I would point out that it is not a native bird.
Now, before people scream, I am not advocating cruel treatment, or lack of concern for the individual bird.
But if it were a Starling, or Indian (Common) Myna, the response might be different.
I think contacting the WIRES people and asking their advice is the best strategy.
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
Wires will have it euthanased if its a turtle dove.
Not recommended to call them for this particular bird unless you dont mind that outcome.
I find it rather disturbing that they are happy to write off an innocent life when it is no fault of the birds own that they are here. Compared with the utter destruction of habitat that humans cause, the 'damage' caused by non-native pigeons, starlings, mynas and sparrows are like a drop in the ocean.
Hi guys, thanks for the response. For some reason I wasn't receiving notification of replies and only just noticed.
The outcome was rather confusing! Originally I'd seen the parent dove sitting on the nest, looking healthy and happy, and probably with a good dose of baby-brain.
Then at some point it started looking like this:
http://s5.tinypic.com/33u6ecz.jpg
That's when I became concerned, and there was a lot of poo in the nest. But before I could decide what to do, it simply disappeared! It was then I realised that the "sick mother" I was looking at was probably the growing baby, who then flew away.
Strangely, once I started seeing this dishevelled fuzzball, I never saw the parent - so I'd assumed it was the same bird. Perhaps I was worried for no reason!
I've left the empty nest there because it's so cute. :)
I must say I agree with magpie.
the question of how we regard introduced species compared to native is something I struggle with. Even though at the same time I worry about the 'damage' done by some of them.
Now if we're talking Cane Toads.......well.....
deva